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Author: Margit Rüdiger

CultureAndCream Author from Munich To travel during my profession as a beauty journalist was never enough for my. Also my six month on a world trip didn't do it. It always attracts me to other cities, foreign countries, on roadtrips and places I don't know yet. But I am not only interested in "culture" and "cream", I am also fascinated by people who have stories to tell .  Such unique experiences I want to share with you.

Let’s talk beauty with influencer Viktoria Rader

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She is attractive, charming, smart and very successful. And she is also totally authentic, which is rather rare in this social media industry. That’s why my beauty interviews in Viky’s Munich home were a particularly enjoyable appointment. I also learned more about the super influencer who has built up a small empire. Viktoria Rader is from Ukraine. Her father is from Poland, the mother is Ukrainian. She describes herself as a very bright child. At 17, finished school, she wanted everything right away – study in Europe, work as a model, learn English and make experiences abroad. Her first stop as a model was Asia, more precisely Seoul/Korea. She went on to China, Tokyo and then again back to Europe. Everything changed in Munich: new agency, new contract, new job. “After five days, I met the man of my life, which really changed everything,” she says. And what happened next? Viky: „After two weeks we went on vacation together and after five months we got married. Everything happened so quickly, but we were simply happy.“ Even more has changed for Viky during this time. The first son, Luca, was born. “It was the second biggest change in my life.“ And then she got the idea to try Instagram. In the beginning everything was just a lot of fun. But soon she went deeper and tried different things. Viky: “Then I really understood it and it became my greatest passion.“ Over the next year and a half, she continued to expand her Instagram presence with style, charm and maximum zest for life. “Just when I want to go to my first fashion week, I find out that I was pregnant a second time.“ Viky and her German-Italian husband were thrilled. But she also quickly realized that it is a big challenge to get everything organized – family, children, dogs, travel, team, photographers. But she managed everything with bravura. In the meantime, she is no longer “just” Viky, but @vikyandthekid (378 Tsd Follower). She lives the balance of family, travel and fashion with great passion. It goes without saying that beauty should not be neglected in her job. We talk about it in the video. Hear for yourself what Viky says about her beauty rituals for face and body to be always in a good shape and why she loves the skincare of the German scientist Prof. Augustinus Bader. Viky tells us, how to get a perfect skin!… weiterlesen

Tested for you: Doctor Mi! „LIP TECMI! Retinol“

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Due to the daily mask requirement I have been struggling with extremely dry lips lately. Most lipcare products didn’t help. Even worse, I felt that I had to use more and more cream. I was convinced by “Tecmi! Retinol”, which I’ve been using for a four weeks now. The first time I applied it, I was a bit confused because the cream initially feels like a light peeling on the lips. The feeling disappears quickly when you move your lips against each other. Encapsulated retinol and high-dose vitamin C are released to protect the sensitive lip skin from external influences and to support cell renewal. Mango butter, jojoba and argan oil result in a super smooth effect. What I also like is the slight warming effect, which lasts quite a long time and suggests a blood circulation increasing effect. This visibly intensifies the lip red. As recommended in the package insert, I also spread the cream over the lip of the lip to refine the small lines of expression. Doesn’t work immediately of course. But over time it seems to me that the upper lip is actually getting a little smoother. I always carry “Tecmi!” with me so that I can use it during the day when my lips are getting drier again. What I am currently testing is to needle the cream in the evenings – and only in the evening! – with a dermaroller into the lip’s skin. Stings a little bit, but is bearable. But one must not press too hard. This treatment should intensify the effect of the product and make the lips a little more voluminous and plump and reduce wrinkles. I have not yet noticed the former, but the fine lines have actually become fewer. I keep on rolling! Doctor Mi! „LIP TECMI! Retinol“, € 59… weiterlesen

Sniff the scent of the people you miss!

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Berlin perfumer Marie Urban-Le Febvre gives us some very unique tips, how we can feel closer to people who are close to our hearts: just sniff their scent! An extraordinarily beautiful idea. In this difficult times, especially with its limitations, I also miss my beloved ones deeply! While the technology enables us to hold online meetings, we can at least see each other, have a chat, or virtually “have a drink” together. But an important dimension is missing – especially for me as a perfumer, since there is so much to do with scents and smell in life. In order to at least have an illusion of the scent of others, I use a few tricks. It’s not the same thing, of course, but it helps at least a little. Smell samples and perfumed letters If possible, I go to a perfumery and sniff the perfumes of my mother, father or friends. I even have small samples of the favorite scents of some very special people in my collection. This way I can at least create a little more closeness and inspire my memory. I have just received mail from a dear friend, and her stationery smells wonderful. In this way my grandmother always gave her letters an extra personal touch. She just sprayed her perfume on the writing paper. That may sound a little old-fashioned now. But so it was always a special experience for me to first open the envelope, then read her handwriting while I smelled her unique fragrance. For a moment I had the impression that she was standing next to me. While reading I could even hear the sound of her voice. A simple, an analog trick and a magical effect in this very different world of today. Marie’s Biography Marie Urban-Le Febvre is French and has spent most of her life in Paris. Her very special sense of smell was noticed early on. As a result, she attended various fragrance trainings while still at school. After studying chemistry, Marie graduated from ISPICA, the most renowned school for perfumery in Versailles. After her extensive training, Marie worked for international perfume houses and refined her skills with the masters of the perfume craft. Since 2014 she has been creating fragrances for her own collection “Urban Scents” in her Berlin laboratory as well as tailor-made perfumes for customers. In addition, she supports other brands with their creative potential and knowledge and is dedicated to fragrance projects for exhibitions as well as science and research.… weiterlesen

Do you Have a Resting Bitch Face?

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RBF means Resting Bitch Face means a grumpy facial expression. Incidentally, there are also men among this group. To show such a look should not be difficult in the current crisis period. But it was new to me that you could make a lot of money with it. The US journalist Taylor Orci (IG taylororci) came up with the phrase “Resting Bitch Face”, after being constantly asked about her sad face. But as a comedian, she is anything but a sad person. Incidentally, at men she describes the phenomenon as “Resting Asshole Face”. The most famous RBF is the cat “Grumpy”, who thanks to her grumpy expression has become a super influencer. The grim look brought her a wax figure Madame Tussauds in San Francisco and her owner Tabatha Bundesen a lot of money. It is said to have earned 80 million euros in two years with the portrait of her angry cat. Grumpy Cat, whose real name was “Tardar Sauce”, died 2019 at home after contracting a urinary tract infection. A natural phenomenon If you want to get money and fame with a grim face like cat Grumpy, there is a requirement: The grumpy expression has to be real and not fake. A face that doesn’t look friendly or even arrogant to others is an unjust mood of nature. The steep lines between the eyebrows that are already present in the calm face are responsible for this, as well as pronounced teardrops lines. Also dropping eyelids and corners of the mouth which are pointing down send non-verbal messages: annoyed, repellent, in a bad mood. Welcome to the Club! You are often asked, what is bugging you or if something bad happened? Or you are regularly asked to laugh? And if you finally smile, the smile feels strange on your face? Then you belong to the group of „Grumpy Cats“. But that does not mean that you are actually a sour pot and are always in a bad mood. Only your facial expressions doesn’t exactly look like exuberant joie de vivre. But a little comfort: You have many fellow sufferers – from movie celebrities to royals. In Hollywood in particular, the land of everlasting smiles, grumpy faces stand out even more clearly in addition to the tons of smiling people. Above all, Designer Victoria Beckham, who even if she accidentally smiles, looks like she has to burst into tears. In thoughtless moments, also Queen Elizabeth, Kristen Stewart, Lana del Rey and Kanye West always look as grim as if they had been forced to do something terrible.… weiterlesen

My Tip: Lifting at the Hairdresser, the slightly different Beauty Cut

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For a rejuvenating effect on the face, you don’t always have to see the Beauty Doc with a syringe or even the scalpel. Stefan M. Pauli, owner of the Salon Pauli in the Brienner Quartier in Munich, told me how the right haircut can rejuvenate a face and make it look brighter. That a haircut can have a good lifting effect sounds strange at first. “But that’s right,” confirms Stefan M. Pauli. “All lines on the face that are aspiring radiate something positive, lively, friendly. Everything that optically points down does the opposite.“ Seems logical to me! Because dropping corners of the mouth and long, straight hair hanging down, have always something sad. Precisely such features are decisive for the haircut, especially for the contours on the face. Creating counter energies Pauli: „I look at where I see lines emerging in the customer’s face, which I emphasize with the contouring, i.e. cut, or conceal if necessary. For example, if someone has strong nasolabial folds or sloping corners of the mouth, and then I cut hair that has the same course at exactly this height, the face looks even more tired. If I also lose fullness on the top of the head, I get the feeling that energy really escapes from this look.“ As a countermeasure, the cut is kept slightly shorter at the top, so that the first lot of the hair already makes a swing outwards. “With this I create a counter energy to the falling lines”, explains the expert. But only a real hair professional can do that. You shouldn’t even attempt such experiments yourself. Not even if you have already practiced on yourself and others with scissors during the corona lockdown! Stefan M. Pauli, Owner Salon Pauli in Munich Photos: Petra Schönberger, Hair: Stefan M.Pauli… weiterlesen

Breakfast as harmful as smoking?

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The home office allows more time for breakfast. A British professor wants to spoil that for us. He claims that breakfast is as dangerous as the cigarette. Other scientists oppose it and declare that people who have breakfast are healthier and leaner. What now? Having a sumptuous breakfast, that is something special. And when you work at home, there is maybe a little more leisure even on weekdays. With plenty of coffee, of course, to get you going. Because: Those who feel good automatically start the day more motivated and positive. Breakfast with children is also an important ritual, not to say a part of the culture that brings the family together at the table. But actually how beneficial breakfast is for our health? The breakfast defeatist The British biochemist Prof. Terence Kealey believes that breakfast is the most dangerous meal of the day. His book „Breakfast Is A Dangerous Meal“ has created a great deal of heat and has fueled the breakfast discussion that already has been going on for years. He writes in his book how breakfast increases blood sugar levels, which would lead to obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes in the long run. He himself was diagnosed with diabetes2 at the age of 56. Consequently he began to control his blood sugar level meticulously and found that his sugar rose dangerously, especially after breakfast. Without breakfast, his blood sugar dropped and did not increase during the day not even after further meals. In order to stay healthy, he therefore advises also non-diabetics to cut out breakfast. Fasting in the morning Kealey explains why eating in the morning is less healthy than all the other meals. He says, that our body does not react the same way every time of the day. The circadian rhythm which controls the release of hormones in the body over 24 hours is responsible for this. The stress hormone cortisol in particular is higher in the morning so that we wake up. In the evening it drops and we can fall asleep calmly. Cortisol is one of the most important hormonal opponents of insulin and weakens its effect in the cells. Kealey: „Morning is the time of natural insulin resistance. Then eating provokes and exacerbates the Metabolic syndrome, the mass murderer of our modern times.“ The Metabolic syndrome includes metabolic deseases like obesity, high blood pressure, increased blood sugar and fat metabolism disorders.… weiterlesen

Tested for you: Tonymoly’s Vital Vita 12 „MANGO BOOSTING PACK“

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I love mangoes. That’s why „Mango Boosting Pack“ has already a bonus. The gel smells subtly of mango, is mango-colored and so the jar, of course. I also appreciate Korean skin care. It has a long tradition in Asia and knows how to optimally combine science and nature. The gel mask consists of 90% mango extract, plus olive extract and soothing ylang-ylang and lemongrass – so far what is said on the package leaflet. The first grip in the jar introduces me to a cooling, soft texture. First I apply it on the back of my hand: it does not stick. That’s important to me, I don’t like sticky textures. Now I will start: Clean the face, apply the mask, as we have learned avoiding the eye and mouth area. I leave it on for 15 minutes. The gel feels pleasantly cool and refreshing on the skin. I can very well imagine for soothing the skin after sunbathing. Rinse mask off thoroughly with warm water. After the prescribed time I rinse the mask off thoroughly with warm water. The look in the mirror reveals a youthful boosted and radiant skin! But my test continues: After an extra stressful day, I apply the gel thinly in the evening instead of night cream and let it work for me overnight. And lo and behold: The next morning my skin looks smooth and well rested „Mango Boosting Pack“ will be my skin care favorite for summer! Vital Vita 12 „Mango Boosting Pack“ von Tonymoly, 200 ml, ca. 18 US$  … weiterlesen

Tested for you: GUCCI „MASCARA L’OBSCUR“

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When it comes to mascara, I’m very picky. For many, the texture is too rich for me, so that the eyelashes stick together. If the brushes are too thick, I will not catch the small outer lashes and leave black traces on the upper lid. And if the formula has dried up after just four weeks, I am annoyed with every cent I spent on it. The „Mascara L’Obscur“ of Gucci Beauty does not apply to all of this. Its creamy texture is rich, but does not smear. Even after an extra long day, I don’t find a single black crumb under my eyes. The flexible elastomer brush with its spherical shape has just the right volume enveloping the lashes from the root to the tip. Thanks to the slender tip, I can easily come across for grabbing even the tiniest bottom lashes and separate them cleanly from the roots upwards. Already the very first layer brings amazing length and volume, and even if you like your lashes a little more voluptuous, they do not clump. I also like the elegant, subtle packaging: The mascara is housed in a retro powder pink tube with a gold metal screw cap. No cheap plastic material! And the best of all: I’ve been using „Mascara L’Obscur“ for six weeks now, and the texture is as fresh as the first day. It has its price, but every cent is worth it. Well done, Gucci! Gucci’s „Mascara L’Obscur“, black, US$ 35 Photos: Gucci Beauty… weiterlesen

Tested for you: „ANTI-POLLUTION PRIMER“ of Grown Alchemist

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Pollution is a big issue in skin care. That’s why I chose the „Anti-Pollution Primer“ to test it. The silicone-free gel is a real innovation of the Australian skincare brand Grown Alchemist. The company stands for “bio-compatible beauty” with an holistic scientific approach. All products are vegan, non-toxic and eco-friendly. The primer is formulated to protect the skin from environmental damage and also from blue light. Prebiotic-Peptides enhances the skin’s microbiota to noticeably improve epidermal barrier function, boost hydration and protect skin against environmental aggressors. What personally won me over is its soft feel. The gel spreads velvety and light, the pores immediately appear refined. I apply it evenly over clean skin using fingertips after applying my preferred serum. Although I never use foundation myself, I have tried how the product is compatible with it. It works very well. But it is important to allow the primer to dry before application of foundation or additional makeup products. Otherwise the layers merge into one another and slip off the skin. „Anti-Pollution Primer“ of Grown Alchemist, 50 ml, US$ 39  … weiterlesen

Nutritional Supplements. Not always without Risk!

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Wherever you look – nutricosmetics. You find them everywhere, in pharmacies, drugstores, departmentstores and luxury beauty shops. Even in groceries the shelves are full of them. The big beauty companies as well as the smallest doctor brands have extended their lines with beauty pills and powders and drinks. But this „beauty from within“ is not always without risk. Karen Grant, Global Beauty Industry Analyst of the NPD Group, provides a comprehensive view of the market. She says: „A huge turnover of 133 Billion US Dollar is made worldwide with beauty supplements.“ Even the Germans spended over two billion euros for food supplements in 2018 – upward tendency. Online has the lion’s share. For example, if you search on the luxury online platform net-a-porter for „food supplement“, you won’t get less than 94 products as an result. They all promise „beauty from within“. Who has never ordererd his magnesium or vitamin C online“? Or was tempted to click on „order now“ of an Instagram post, when there was advertised a “Glow Inner Beauty Powder“ or the „Ageless Beauty Vitamin“. Pill instead of cream According to studies, it is precisely the millennials in Europe and Asia, who choose more often a proactive approach. They turn away from traditionell skin care products, especially from antiaging creams. They prefer pills, shots and teas for their overall wellness. Prominent beauty women do their part. So Heidi Klum advertises a tablet „that makes my skin, hair and nails beautiful like never before“. Gwyneth Paltrow sells on her „Goop Wellness“ platform several sticks und gums for more energy, a clear mind and more glow for the skin. Her pill cocktail „The Mother Load“ is designed for women before, during and after pregnancy. However, this product has already come under fire from experts. According to WHO (World Health Organisation) pregnant women shouldn’t take food supplements containing vitamin A. It could harm the unborn child. Doubtful benefits If you look at the ingredients on the packaging, there is nothing wrong with most of them on the first sight. Often they contain physiological substances like collagen and hyaluronic acid. These are responsible in the body for the elasticity of the skin and the connective tissue. Their natural production is reduced in the body from the age of 20. In addition, there are usually found minerals, trace elements like zinc, several vitamins and antioxidants in these beauty pills.There are already jelly bears with hyaluronic acid and collagen available.… weiterlesen